"STEWARDSHIP: AGENTS OF CHANGE"

"The Seeds of Hope"

prose by William George

BEFORE READING:

Concern about the earth and the environment is not enough. We must take action to secure the health of our Earth. We must plant the seeds of hope and nurture them.

In 1992, a summit was held in Rio de Janerio at which people from around the world gathered to discuss how to protect the natural environment, the social environment, and the cultural environment of all peoples. Together, they formulated 27 principles for an "Earth Charter":

The Earth Charter is a declaration of fundamental ethical principles for building a just, sustainable and peaceful global society in the 21st century. It seeks to inspire in all people a new sense of global interdependence and shared responsibility for the well-being of the whole human family, the greater community of life, and future generations. It is a product of a decade-long, worldwide, cross cultural dialogue on common goals and shared values. (earthcharterinaction.org)

The mission of the Earth Charter Initiative is to promote the transition to sustainable ways of living and a global society founded on a shared ethical framework that includes respect and care for the community of life, ecological integrity, universal human rights, respect for diversity, economic justice, democracy, and a culture of peace. (earthcharterinaction.org)

The complete Earth Charter can be read at the link at the top of the page.

William George's prose entitled "The Seeds of Hope" uses beautiful language to address the environmental problems of our earth as well as the reasons behind those problems. He ends on a note of hope for a better world.

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